Steam-boiler



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

W. D. EWART.

V STEAM BOILEE. v No. 545,464. Patented Sept. 3,1895.

W. D. EWART.

STEAM BOILER.

Patented Sept. 3,'1895.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. EWAR'I, OF cnroAeo, ILLINOIS.

STEAM-BOILER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,464, datedSeptember 3, 1895.

Application filed May 15, 1894. Serial No. 511,312. (No model.)

tion.

The principal objects of my improvements are to secure a more thoroughcirculation of the heat-gases, increasing the efficiency of theheating-surface, besides a better circulation of the Water andseparation of the steam from same, and a self adj ustability orflexibility of parts to allow for unequal expansions and contractionsunder varying degrees of heat, with provision for settling, readyrepairs, &c.

To these ends myinvention consists in de: tails of arrangement andconstruction of parts, as fully set forth hereinafter.

To enable those skilled in the art to which my improvements relate tounderstand and practice the same, I will now proceed to describe myinvention more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, which formpart of this specification, and in which similar letters of referencedesignate similar parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boiler, showing some of myimprovements. Fig. 2 is a front view, partially sectional and on alarger scale, of a series of my header-sections forming what is oftencalled a water-leg. Fig. 3 is a front sectional View, and Fig. 4 a sidesectional view, of one of my headers, illustrating also my steam andwater separator therein, all on a still larger scale than in theprevious figures. Fig. 5 is a small sectional View across abattery ofwater-tubes grouped in accordance with my plan, as describedhereinafter; and Fig. 6 shows six of these tubes on a larger scale witharrows indicating the course of the hot gases. Fig. 7 is a perspectiveview illustrating the relations of my deflector-bricks t0 thewater-tubes and to each other, this being practically a rear view on thesame scale as Fig. 6 and cut on the inclined line that the bricks assumein forming the deflector-wall. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a hook orreaching device; and Fig. 9 is a similar view of a shovel-like device,both of which are employed for handling the bricks which compose mydeflector-wall, as set forth hereinafter.

A A are water-tubes.

B B are headers connected with the watertubes in the usual manner andwith each other in substantially vertical header-sections by nipples orthimbles O C.

. D D are fire bricks or plates formed with T- heads, which are adaptedto rest on the watertubes, and with bodies which will swing down acrossthe main spaces between tubes and divert the gases into lines whichcross the tubes, thus causing them to impinge on parts of theheating-surface which might otherwise receive too little heat, or, whenused in a seties, the bricks form a solid deflecting-wall, as shown inFig. l. I

E is a steam and water drum connected in the usual manner with theWater-tubes at front and rear.

F is a mud-drum at the bottom of the back water-leg.

G is a steam and Water separator which combines with the thimbles O O toform an almost continuous vertical channel or passageway through theheader for the rising steam, so located as to prevent the rush ofwater-from the water-tubes into the path of the ascending steam, and yethaving open space favorably located for the steam formed in the upperportions of the water-tubes to rush in comparatively free from water.

g g are adjusting-screws to hold separator G in place in the header.

H H in Fig. 2 are spaces left between headers and adjacent thimblesthrough which the nozzle of a hose can be inserted to blow offaccumulations of dust, soot, &c. In this figure I show at the left twoheader-sections with the covers onthe headers, while the next twoheader-sections have the covers and steam and water separators removed.The next two header-sections are shown in cross-section, as

the gases a longer path to travel. Where regular vertical rows areemployed they are often provided with bafile bricks or plates variouslyarranged in lines parallel to the tubes to avert. the hot gases fromascending too directly. It will be seen that in my grouping the tubeswhich enter one header are so close together that the gases will beconsiderably retarded in passing between them and largely diverted, soas to pass around the outside of them. It will also be noticed that thehorizontal space between the groups presents an area substantially equalto the sum of the on tlet-spaces most nearly above. These features areshown most clearly in Figs. 5 and 6. One good effect of this grouping oftubes is that it causes the gases to move in a zigzag or circuitouspath, imparting as much of their heat as possible to the tubes beforeescaping and impinging on as much of the surface of each tube aspossible, thus obtaining all the advantages of staggered tubes or ofbafliebricks without their disadvantages. This arrangement also admitsof the use of headers or casings sufficiently small to leave ampleclearance between them for lateral and vertical play in expansion andcontraction. The thimbles connecting, as they do, alternate rows ofheader-casings vertically are relatively long, and as they are made oftubing slightly elastic the whole front and rear header-sections formflexible water-legs or batteries of water-tube supports and connections,which will admit of different tubes expanding, contracting, warping, orsettling, independently or in groups, without straining, shearing,causing leaks, or interfering with the vertical steam ways or disturbingby pressure adjoining parts. Sufliciently-large openings are also formedbetween adjacent headersections for the insertion of a nozzle at variouspoints, as at H, to blow the accumulations off of the tubes from thefront or rear when desired.

The fire-walls or deflector-walls which obstruct the passage of the hotgases and. divert them back and forth against the Water-tubes in theirjourney from the grate to the stack I prefer to construct of separatefire bricks or plates which are thin enough to admit of being passed inand out between the rows of tubes in asubstantially-horizontal position.I usually make the vertical space between rows about two inches andinsert the bricks sidewise, lying flat on a shovel-like device, such asshown in Fig. 9. I form the bricks with a sort of T-head and with thecenter of gravity below the T, so that when the branches of the T reston two opposite tubes and the shovel is withdrawn the brick swings downacross the open space, the form being such as to fit the tubes and matchother bricks which are preferably duplicates and arranged to close theentire space and form a solid wall, about as shown in Fig. 7. Thesebricks can also be inserted singly or in small groups at any point atwhich it is desired to change the course of some of the hot gases andeffect a more perfect impingement on the tubes, and their location orarrangement in walls can be originally adapted or subsequently changedto suit different types of furnaces that may be introduced. I prefer tomake the lengths of the bricks such that they will rest against thelower tubes in a position which will not be directly transverse to thetubes, as in other boilers, but usually at an angle of sixty degrees.\Vhen the tubes heat, warp, or settle unevenly, no permanent injury isdone to a wall composed of bricks so placed, for they accommodatethemselves to the situation and avoid the crushing and breakingincidental to a wall built around and between the tubes at right anglesto them. Furthermore, any brick can readily be removed and replacedwithout disturbing the rest of the wall in case it is desired to repairthe wall or remove a tube. 1 provide suitable openings (not shown) inthe side walls of the boiler at locations opposite the deflector-walls,makingthese wide enough to admit of handling the bricks in and out fromthe sides with simple shovel-like devices I or reachingirons, one formof each on which will be seen in Figs. Sand 9. So faras I knowdeflectorwalls, however formed-whether, for instance, of brick or ofasbestos in solid plasterhave heretofore been placed directly transverseor at right angles to the tubes, so that they were liable to be injuredby any change in the relative position of any of the tubes, howevercaused. The bricks forming my deflector-walls, resting, as they do, bygravity above and below and at such an angle, are free to move with thetubes farther apart or nearer together within reasonable boundswithoutdisturbing their neighbors or disrupting the wall as a whole. Itherefore attach great importance to placingthem at an angle andconstructing them in the manner described.

In water-tube boilers as heretofore constructed difficulty has beenexperienced in the front header-sections or water-legs, owing to thefact that in the substantially-vertical steam ways the rapidly risingsteam must come directly into contact with the water at the end of eachtube and pass across its path and receive all the impulses due to steambeing generated in such water. The steam acts practically as aninjector, sucking the water out of the tube and driving it into thesteamdrum before it is sufficiently hot or ready to be converted intosteam. This action compels the water to circulate repeatedly and toorapidly for economy in fuel, dissipating the heat, besides producing wetsteam. To prevent this I construct independent verticalconnectingchannels which I call steam and water separators, as G,forming an almost continuous path for the steam from one verticalthimble to the next, arranging each in relation to the header so that awater-channel is formed around the separator connecting the ends of thetwo adjacent tubes. The separator forms ITO ITS

a wall which keeps the body of the water back, but at its top I leave anopen space which forms a transverse steamway in the header above themain line or plane of the tubes connected by the header, thus permittingany steam generated to rise into the steam-path, and at the same timeadmitting of a small flow of water in either direction under theinfiuence of gravity. This prevents the steam from sucking or pushingthe water out of the tubes, which would cause them to become superheatedand burst, and at the same time it prevents the water which surges fromthe end of an upper tube into its header forming a serious interruptionto steam arising from a lower tube and passing through on its way to thesteam-drum, and the general effect is the production of dry steam withthe utmost economy of fuel.

In the drawings and description given herewith I have set forth theforms in which I prefer to carry out my invention under ordinarycircumstances; but it is evident that some of the details could bevaried within reasonable limits without departing from the spirit of myimprovements. For instance, the headers and tubes can be so arrangedthat more than two tubes will constitute a baffling group with smallspaces between the individual'tubes to permit the impingement of hotgases on their sides and allow some of the gases to pass through, whileother groups are separated from them by more open spaces, and bafflinggroups are placed above the said open spaces which are left between thedifferent groups. The shape and size of the bricks or plates forming thedeflector-walls can of course be varied and more than one thickness usedin the same wall, if desired. The angle between the bricks and the tubesmay be varied considerably, and the inclination may be forward orbackward, as the circumstances direct. In fact, some of the advantagesof my invention could still be obtained with the bricks at right anglesto the tubes; but I prefer a sufficient divergence from a right angle topermit selfadjustability of the bricks, as hereinbefore described. Theform and arrangement of the steam and water separators may be variedwithin reasonable limits so long as they are so disposed as to act incombination with the other parts of the header-section to form an almostcontinuous ascending passage-way for the steam, while preventing theforcible rush of water into the steamway, and at the same timepresenting openings favorably located for receiving steam at suitableintervals along the upward course. I therefore do not wish to be limitedto the exact arrangements, proportions, &c., shown in detaileddescription;

but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a water tube boiler the grouped water tubes having spaces betweenthe members thereof, and the groups having larger spaces between them,the said groups being so disposed with relation to each other thatbaffling groups will be above the spaces between the groups,substantially as described.

2. In a water tube boiler, the tubes arranged in groups in horizontalrows with spaces between the members thereof, and the groups havinglarger spaces between them, the said groups being so disposed withrelation to each other that the narrow spaces in one horizontal row areover the wide spaces in the next lower horizontal row, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a water tube boiler, the combination of a number'of groups ofwater tubes arranged in pairs side by side with narrow spaces betweenthe tubes of each pair, and supported in headers the said groups havinglarger spaces between them, and being so arranged that the spacesbetween the tubes of the pairs will come between or above the largerspaces betweenthe groups of tubes, substantially as described.

4:. In a water tube boiler, the combination of substantially horizontalrows of water tubes, headers connecting water tubesin'horizontal groups,and relatively-long thimbles connecting the headers in alternatehorizontal rows, and forming substantially upright header sections,whereby great flexibility is secured to allow for expansion andcontraction of parts without interference between adjoining headersections, substantially as set forth.

5. In a water tube boiler, the combination of substantially horizontalrows of water tubes arranged in pairs,individual headers for each pair,and relatively long-upright thimbles conmeeting the headers of alternatehorizontal rows, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a water tube boiler, the combination of water tubes, asubstantially vertical header section connecting same, and a steam andwater separating device providing an upward channel for the steam, andobstruction against the ready entrance of the body of the water from thewater tubes into the steam passage sections, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

8. In a water tube boiler, headers connected with pairs of water tubesin alternate horizontal rows, upright thimbles connecting said headers,channels within said headers forming with the said thimbles almostcontinuous upright steam passage Ways, and openings in said passage waysfor the entrance of steam at intervals in the upward course,substantially as shown and described.

9. In a watertube boiler, the combination of the water tubes withdeflector bricks provided with gravitating or self-adjustable T headsadapted to rest on the tubes and with bodies adapted to hang downbetween the tubes and close the space against movements of the hot gasesin lines parallel to the tubes, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

10. In a water tube boiler, the combination of the water tubes withdeflector bricks provided with gravitating or self-adjustable T headsadapted to rest on the tubes and with bodies adapted'to hang downbetween the tubes and close the space against movements of the hot gasesin lines parallel to the tubes, said bricks being of such aconfiguration that a series of them will form a practi cally soliddeflector wall, substantially as andl'or the purpose set forth.

11. In steam boilers, Water tubes suitably supported and grouped insubstantially horizontal or slightly inclined positions, in combinationwith deflector walls composed of selfadjustable bricks or plates, eachof which is

